When he was
by Cielja
Summary: "Although he had to admit to himself with a sudden sting in his heart, that the history teacher had been a special person. No one else had withstand his moodswings that long and had supported him even with the stupiest plan." Damon and Meredith meet at the 'Mystic Grill' and try to find some comfort after they all said their goodbyes to Alaric at the graveyard. Post 3x20


When he was

_x Disclaimer: I do not own ‚The Vampire Diaries' x_

_I hope you enjoy this little story! __ Please be kind and review!:-)  
_

From the speakers was playing one of the many rocksongs, that had helped a band in the `80s to get some temporary fame.

Playing around with the glass in front of him and looking at his ring, Damon Salvatore was only able to escape from his thoughts as the door to the „Mystic Grill" openend.

With a wide grin and raising his bourbon he turned around to greet the newcomer.

„Well, hello SexyPsychoDoc!"

Meredith Fell entered in a fast pace and with a serious face, dropped her hobobag on the wooden counter and took a place next to him without saying a single word.

When Damon didn't get any reaction, shrugging he went back to face his drink.

It only took him a few deep gulps to empty his glass and with a signal he ordered the barkeeper to fill up.

After a few minutes Meredith broke the silence.

„If I only had kept an eye on him, maybe I would have saved him!", she said with a sad sigh.

„Medicine and some vampire blood couldn't have saved him from witch-bitch Esther.", Damon answered, anger showing in his voice.

He got Meredith's full attention now.

„You were his best friend. He told me about your adventures together…"

„What's the difference! In the end we are all going to lose! Believe me, I know what I'm talking about!", Damon winked, then toastet to her.

„But it doesn't always have to be like this!"

Chuckling Damon replied: „I've been around on this earth for quite a while and if I know anything, then that nothing lasts forever!"

He emptied his glass and it immediately got refilled.

Meredith, now a wineglass in her hand, responded: „You may be right, but the short time we spend with the people we love, will be in our memories forever."

„Great!", Damon exclaimed sarcastically, „That's exactly what I want! Elena being angry with me and Stefan's guilty feelings. Forever and all eternity in my memories!"

Angrily he slammed his hand on the bar.

„But there must have been good times in your life, right? I mean…" she added scoffingly, „for someone who has allegedly been around for so long."

„For humans it's easy to claim that time will heal all wounds. But that's bullshit, if you ask me!" Damon noticed that the alcohol slowly showed its effect, but like with many other things he didn't care about this, too.

Again there was silence between the two unlike persons, in which everyone was occupied with their own thoughts.

„Heh, he'd always defended you when we still thought, you would hunt down council members with stakes", grinning Damon observed the display of alcohol at the back wall behind the bar.

„He was a good man. He only did what he thought was right."

„Yepp…and he was fooled by the one or other vampire… as vampirehunter. Not that I would mind.", he winked at Meredith.

„You're referring to yourself. Nice! He also told me about what you did. And he always forgave you!"

„Maybe that was his mistake! If you had just let him die, when he performed that attack on himself, he would have found peace earlier!"

„You cannot be serious! Besides he died a supernatural death and his ring brought him back to life. I only did what I could to help him! By the way: This is my job!"

„You're cheating at your job and we both know it.", Damon pointed out as he bent over to her.

„Heh, at least I don't take my temper out on people and kill those who get in my way!"

„Whoa, HotDoc, we are not blaming each other now!", defeating Damon looked at Meredith.

Both starred at each other for some seconds before each turned to their drinks.

Damon, who by now already had the seventh empty glass of bourbon in front of him, could barely keep his anger at bay. But he knew, if he let it out now, he definitely would regret it later and exactly do what the doctor expected of him.

So he tried it with the one thing, he knew would work on every women when it regarded him. Flirting.

„You know, he really liked you. I mean, who wouldn't!", with the most charming smile he could manage, he got closer to Meredith.

„You're trying to be friendly now?"

Gosh, this doctor was complicated. Widening his smile, he said:" You would have been the perfect girl for him! …After the hot nutcase and the one, who fell victim to Klaus."

Yes, he was definitely drunk. If Elena had heard him talk like that about her aunt, she would have been mad at him now. But she wasn't here, so he stopped to think about it.

„Oh, you're so empathetic!", sarcastically Meredith looked at him.

„I'm only trying to cheer you up, in case you didn't notice.", Damon grinned.

In the one and a half century he'd roamed this world by now, he had lost some friends, or at least people who had endured him for some time.

Although he had to admit to himself with a sudden sting in his heart, that the history teacher had been a special person. No one else had withstand his moodswings that long and had supported him even with the stupiest plan.

„You know Damon, on his behalf we shouldn't fight tonight.", Meredith pulled him out of his thoughts.

„Hhmm… if you say so."

„He had accepted his fate and chose not to go through transition. He made a brave choice, if you ask me."

Damon could imagine a lot of fitting snarky comments , but to keep the peace, he had just made with the daughter of one of the council members, he hold them back.

Tomorrow he could find new trouble to indulge into and so maybe be able to forget, that he now was left alone with a group of human as well as supernatural teenagers and an insane brother.

„Yes, he was a brave man, blah blah, a great teacher, blah blah, loving husband _slash _boyfriend…", Damon responded tiredly and tipped over his glass, like you do with your king in a chess game when you call defeat.

Meredith gazed at him with a sad look in her eyes.

Meanwhile she understood that the vampire liked to hide his feelings behind a wall made of arrogance and supposed carelessness. They most probably would never be friends, but both had lost a person today who had meant a lot to them in different ways.

Meredith beckoned the barkeeper to come over and ordered a bourbon. With this she turned around on her stool to face Damon and raised her glass.

„To Alaric!"

For a second Damon looked incredulously, but then he replied with the first real smile this evening: „To Alaric!"

_The End_

_So, this is kind of my goodbye to the incredible character that was Alaric Saltzman! It took me some time to finally write it and I hope, you'll like it!:-)  
_


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